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Brett McKay

Brett McKay

Reporter|Edmonton

Brett McKay is an Edmonton-based journalist specializing in investigative and data-driven stories. Prior to joining the IJF, he spent years covering Alberta politics with a focus on health care, municipal government, labour, the fossil fuel industry and political influence networks. His work has appeared in The Tyee, APTN, The Breach, CTV News and Great West Media.

brett.mckay@theijf.org

Reporting by Brett McKay

Power & Influence

Government communications department worried public may question sole-source contract

Department said internal staff lacked capability for ‘mass-reaching’ ad campaign

Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter•11 Dec 2025

An Alberta and Canadian flag are seen in front of the Rocky Mountains in a split screen with oil workers and a farmer. The photos says "What's Next for Alberta? You Decide."

Power & Influence

Alberta government awarded PR firm sole-source contract to run education campaign

Mash Strategy staffers have connections with several conservative governments across Canada

Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter•4 Dec 2025

A Facebook video shows an Alberta flag with the caption "More teachers. More pay. Smaller class sizes. That's Alberta's plan for parents, teachers and kids."

Power & Influence

Company lobbying Alberta on AI integration in digital IDs and traffic lights

From cryptocurrency markets to digital ID to AI controlled traffic lights, CoinCorp is lobbying the Alberta government on a host of policies

Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter•27 Nov 2025

Traffic lights illuminated green are shown on a rainy night.

Alberta’s COP30 delegate is a former oil industry lobbyist

Alberta Environment rep lobbied to cut oil and gas emissions regulations

Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter•19 Nov 2025

Flames and smoke rise from flare stacks against a brown sky.

Power & Influence

Cannabis delivery and insurance policies are major lobbying issues for ride-for-hire industry

Rideshare apps want a break on licenses. Taxis want to be treated more like rideshares

Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter•13 Nov 2025

Alberta opens up silica exploration and mining on public lands

Ministerial order significantly expands size of exploration and mining leases

Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter•11 Nov 2025

An aerial image of a sand mine in Alberta.

Alberta is flirting with separatism. But documents show the province isn’t planning for it

Internal records suggest province hasn’t researched economic impacts of Alberta exiting confederation

Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter•7 Nov 2025

A woman holds an American and Albertan flag in front of the Alberta legislature.

Power & Influence

Medical imaging companies lobbied for private service expansion

Medical imaging companies lobbied Alberta to expand use of for-profit facilities, a policy now being pursued by provincial health authorities

Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter•6 Nov 2025

A technician looks at a computer screen during a patient's MRI scan.

White Collar Crime

Women are ‘central figures’ in transnational extremist financing: Canadian intelligence report

Individuals in cross-border networks likely acting as financing nodes to raise funds for terrorists abroad, according to financial intelligence unit

Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter•29 Oct 2025

An image shows four pages from a report titled Terrorism Financing Activity of Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremists in Canada.

Power & Influence

Almost 40% of Better Edmonton’s campaign contributions came from 8 connected companies

Political party's campaign was supported by 15 companies that contributed more than two-thirds of all the donations it raised

Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter•23 Oct 2025

Better Edmonton mayoral candidate Tim Cartmell poses with campaign volunteers